May, 2019. There is a wild turkey who lives in the Grove. We think it is a female. This one tends to hang out among the historic row houses along the edge of Founders Park. These homes are currently unoccupied, but everyone of them is reserved for “the season.” Big Bird has also been seen at the North End by Asbury Avenue and Mt. Tabor.
Some of the locals feed the turkey. We were alerted to her presence today, so we went over there.
This bird travels alone. I think she is a bachelor who has it good in the Grove where she has no predators. She may be an escapee from the Hinck turkey farm in Wall Township off Belmar Blvd.
The bird seems to be domesticated because although she didn’t let me get very close, she just walked along with me following. She walked briskly past the tents and finally moved towards Wesley Lake, and then she vanished.
She brandished her wings at one point, but she didn’t fly. Maybe she hangs out with the ducks, but she acts like she doesn’t give a quack. Maybe she likes to go to A. Park on Saturday nights.
This turkey seems like a good citizen because she has no car to park. When she strolled across Central Ave, she stayed between the white lines. We suspect that she doesn’t pay ground rent.
After speaking to a person who knows of the bird in the Grove, we found out that she doesn’t have a name.
MEGAN SIKORA from Promises, Promises. TURKEY LURKY
How about “gobbledygook” since this is what we are getting from all the turkeys out at Neptune.
We have been calling it Tabor the Turkey. What do you think?
Makes a daily visit to my backyard and flies up to the porch in the back of the house behind me. Shows no fear of humans. We now have the fox, a turkey, deer in the surf and a ruffed legged hawk patrolling the sky. Ravens have returned as well. Gannets dive bombing off shore. The Grove has become a nature reserve it seems.
Turkey tracking. Today we saw the turkey at the North End: On Mt. Hermon Way and Delaware near the Lake. The turkey is definitely a female. It is a self-stuffing turkey, going from house to house looking for food, including raiding bird feeders. Let us know if you see her in other areas of town, and we will track the bird in town like they follow great white sharks across the oceans.
My vote for ideal name for turkey–“Beto” or even better, “Biden.”
Since we don’t know it’s gender I chose a couple of each.
The turkey looks like it’s on the run, so Bonnie or Clyde
(I hope its a female for my Bonnie lies over the ocean, my Bonnie lies over the sea, my Bonnie lies over the ocean, so bring back my Bonnie to me!)
If a male, maybe Archie in honor of the new royal baby
If a female, maybe Croquette!
Lucy Lennox